Multiple needle stitching mechanism



M y 5, 1953 v. J. SlGODA 2,637,290

MULTIPLE NEEDLE ST'ITCHING MECHANISM Filed July 2, 1947 3 Sheets-Sheet lINVENTOR. 4a 46 We 70/? d. 5/ 600A WQ W A 7- T0 mug May 5, 1953 v. J.SIGODA 2,637,290

. MULTIPLE NEEDLE STITCHING MECHANISM Filed July 2, 1947 I 3Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. V1070? (1 5/600/? BY WVW A TTOEA/EY May 5, 1953v. J. SIGODA MULTIPLE NEEDLE STITCHING MECHANISM 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 FiledJuly 2, 1947 IN VEN TOR.

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m EM Patented May 5, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE .MULTIPLE NEEDLESTITCHING MECHANISM Victor J. Sigoda, Great Neck, N. Y., assignor toMan-Sew Corporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New YorkApplication July 2, 1947, Serial No. 758,577

15 Claims. 1

This invention relates to multiple needle stitching mechanism forapplying ornamental or embroidery stitching to fabric materials, and hasfor its general object and purpose to simplify and improve the machineof this type disclosed in Patent No. 2,369,183, issued February 13,1945,

whereby various novel ornamental stitch designs may be accuratelyproduced at high operating speeds.

It is one of theimportant objects of the invention to provide a novelmounting and arrangement of a thread carrying needle, together withoperating means for reciprocating said needle in a lateral andlongitudinally, obliquely angled path with respect to the work andintersecting the path of vertical reciprocation of a thread receivinghook needle, whereby a row of stitches is formed on the right side ofthe fabric with the. individual stitches diagonally disposed in paralleluniformly spaced relation.

It is another object of the invention to provide multiple needlestitching mechanism embodying a pair of laterally spaced, verticallyreciprocating hook needles, and a pair of thread carrying needlesmounted and arranged for reciprocating movement in relatively different,

downwardly converging, obliquely angled paths which intersect below thebed plate of the machine, whereby each of said thread carrying needlescooperates with a diagonally opposite hook needle to produce diagonallycrossed thread stitches on the fabric.

It is a further object of the invention to provide improved eccentricactuated means at one side of the machine arm, operatively connectedwith the main needle operating shaft mounted therein, and with the twoobliquely inclined thread carrying needles, whereby the latter arereciprocated in properly timed relation with the reciprocating movementof the vertically movable hook needles.

An additional object is to provide novel actuating mechanism for thethread carrying needles,

comprising a minimum number of elements of simple and rugged'structuralform, resulting in material economies in production costs and reasonablylow maintenance expense.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention comprises theimproved multiple needle stitching mechanism, and the construction andrelative arrangement of its several parts, as will hereinafter be morefully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings,andsubsequently incorporated in thesubjoined claims.

Inthedrawings, wherein I haveselected for iii 2 illustration one simpleand practical embodiment of the invention, and in which similarreference characters designate corresponding parts throughout theseveral views:

Figure I is a fragmentary rear side elevation of a sewing machine arm,illustrating one mounting and arrangement of the present inventionthereon;

Figure 2 is an end elevation;

Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional view substantially as indicated bythe line 3-3 on Figure 1; v

Figure 4 is a detail vertical sectional view taken substantially on theline 44 of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a plan view of the needle or throat plate;

Figure 6 is a similar view of the presser foot;

Figure 7 is a perspective view of the throat plate, illustrating therelationship of the hook and thread carrying needles in their downwardmovement through the needle openings;

Figure 8 is a similar view, showing the thread carrying needles inintersecting relation below the throat plate, and cooperating with thediagonally opposite hook needles;

Figure 9 is a detail perspective view on an enlarged scale showing thehook and thread carrying needles atgthe start of their upward stroke,with the threads engaged in the needle hooks; and

Figures 10, 11 and 12 are plan views, each showing the right and Wrongsides of a piece of fabric to which embroidery stitching of differentornamental designs has been applied by the present invention. 7

Referring. in further detail to the drawings, in indicates the bed plateof the machine and I2 the usual hollow horizontal arm spaced above saidplate and terminating in the head or housing M for the operatingconnections between the main longitudinal power driven shaft l6 mountedin said arm, and the vertically recipiii. As herein shown, a pair oflaterally spaced hook needles 20 and 2| respectively, are fixed in thelower end of the needle bar It in the usual manner.

The presser foot bar 22 is mounted for vertical reciprocation in theguide head l4, and is provided at its lower end with presser foot 24which will be later described in further detail. As will be seen fromreference to Figures 2 and 4, the rear side wall 26 of the needle barguide head I4 is vertically inclined downwardly towards the presser foot24. As seen in Figure 2, and the above mentioned patent, an auxiliarypresser eccentric strap or band 12.

foot guides and directs the reciprocating movements of the hook needlesand 21.

As shown in Figure 5 of the drawings, the needle or throat plate 28 issecured to the bed plate It] by suitable screws indicated at 30. Thisplate is provided with a plurality of spaced, longitudinally extendingslots 32 to accommodate the upwardly projecting toothed ribs of theusual four motion feed dog, which is operatively mounted beneath the bedplate It]. Preferably, the upper surface of plate 28 is provided withtwo diagonally extending series of serrations 34 at opposite sides ofthe slots 32 for the purpose of securely holding the fabric materialbetween its intermittent feeding movements against lateral shiftingmovement beneath the presser foot 24.

To the rear side wall 28 of the head l4, a bracket member 36 is suitablysecured and is provided with spaced guide bearings 38 in which a needlebar 43 is mounted for reciprocating movement at a laterally obliqueangle at the outer side of pressure foot 2 1, and in a planesubstantially parallel with the inclined wall 26. In the lower end ofneedle bar Ell, a thread carrying needle 42 is secured.

A second bracket member 44 is also suitably mounted upon the wall 26 ina vertically inclined plane converging downwardly towards said wall.This bracket has upper and lower guide bearings '18 for a second needlebar 58 which is supported thereby for reciprocating motion in anobliquely angled path at the inner side of presser foot 24 and indownwardly converging relation to the needle bar 40. A second threadcarrying needle is suitably fixed in the lower end of the needle bar 48.

The needle bars 40 and 48 are simultaneously reciprocated in the samedirection and in timed relation to the vertically reciprocating needlebar [8. For this purpose, I have herein shown a transverse shaft 52suitably journalled on the rear wall 26 of the head 14, and having itsaxis disposed substantially at right angles to the plane thereof. Spiralgears 54 drivingly connect this shaft at its inner end with the mainshaft [6 of the machine. At its outer end, a gear 56 is fixed to shaft52 and is in constant mesh with a similar gear 58 rotatably supportedupon a stud bolt 60 extending through a spacing block 62 between saidgear and the outer surface of the inclined wall 26, and threaded in saidwall. The gear 58 has a hub 64 upon which an eccentric 66 is keyed orotherwise fixed.

An annular strap or band '12 peripherally circumscribes the eccentric66. An annular plate 14 fixed to eccentric 66 by screws, has its outeredge portion overlapping band 72. A plate 68, fixed between gear 58 andeccentric 66, also. overlaps band 12, and carries a weight 16 atone, endthereof to counterbalance vibrations set up in the rotation of theeccentric. The plates 68 and thus retain the strap or band 12 inassembled position against axial displacement relative to the eccentric.

A vertically movable rod 16 is mounted to reciprocate in the verticallyspaced guide brackets I8 and 80 secured to the wall 26. A collar 82fixed to this rod carries a pin or stud 84 which is pivotally connected,as shown in Figure 4, with the A member 86 is fixed to the rod 76 andprovided with arms extending laterally from opposite sides thereof. Oneof said arms is pivotally connected by link 88 with a collar 90. securedto needle bar 40,- while the other of said arms is pivotally connectedby means of a similar link 92 to collar M on the needle bar 48. It willthus be apparent that in the rotation of the eccentric 66, the rod :6 isvertically reciprocated in the guide brackets 78 and 80, andsimultaneous and equal reciprocating motion is transmitted thereby tothe two obliquely disposed needle bars 40 and 48. Preferably, the rod 16is of tubular form to provide a guide for the threads indicated at T,which extend from the lower end of said rod through spaced guideapertures 98 in bracket 96 fixed to the presser foot 24, and hencethrough the eye openings in needles 42 and 50.

As seen in Figure 5 of the drawings, throat plate 28 between the outerside slots 32 for the feed dog, is provided with a narrow U-shaped slotl0!) extending longitudinally thereof. The parallel legs 01 said slot attheir forward ends communicate with openings I02 which receive thevertically reciprocating hook needles 20 and 2|. In rearwardly spacedrelation from these openings, the additional openings H24 are providedfor the thread carrying needles 42 and 50. In ad- Vance of the needleopenings I02, the throat plate may also be provided with a rectangularopening I96 to register with the upper end of a rearwardly inclined slot)8 in the bed plate In, through which an ornamental tape may be fed froma roll suitably mounted below the bed plate to the uhderside of thefabric in its movement over the throat plate, 28 and beneath presserfoot 24.

The presser foot 24 is also provided with parallel, longitudinallyextending slots, H0 communieating at their forward ends with openings H2aligned with the needles 20 and 2i and registering with openings I02 inthe throat plate. A rearwardly inclined branch slot H4 communicates withthe outer side of each slot H0 to receive the obliquely inclined threadcarrying needles 42 and 50 in their movement through the openingsv H14in throat plate 28.

Below the bed plate I0, a pair of thread loop forming hooks or measuringfingers H8 are mounted upon an oscillating shaft, H8 to engage therespective threads carried by the needles 62 and 50, after they havebeen received by the respective cooperating hook needles 2!] and 2|.These fingers. function in substantially the same manner as the, threadloop forming hook 43 described in Patent. No. 2,369,183. Their operationis properly timed so that as the thread loops lie about the shank of thehook needles above the hook, the thread loop forming hooks or measuringfingers I I6 engage the loop thread to tension it about. the shank ofthe hook needle so that in the course of the upward stroke, the loopwill be positively engaged by the. hook. In so doing, enough thread ismeasured out to prevent breakage of the loop thread or puckering of thematerial. However elements lib are, not an essential part of the presentinvention and other conventional means may be employed for this purpose.

From the above description, the operation of my improved multiple needlestitching mechanism may be readily understood with reference to Figures10 to 12 of the drawings. Thus, after each intermittent feeding movementof the fabric, and while it is held stationary on throat plate 28 by thepresser foot 24, in the operation of the main shaft l6, the, hookcarrying needles 20 and 2! movev downwardly through openings 1' l2 inthe presser foot and openings [02- in the throat plate, andsimultaneously the thread carrying needles 42 and. 50 aremoveddownwardly by operation of the eccentric BG-through the respectivebranch slots H4 in the presser foot and openings I04 in the throatplate. It will be apparent that, due to the oblique angular relation ofthe needles 42 and 50 with respect to each other and with relation tothe vertically movable hook needles 2!] and 2|, below the throat platethe respective thread carrying needles will move between the verticalhook needles in intersecting relation to each other, and each threadcarrying needle also moving in closely adjacent relation to the pathofvertical movement of the diagonally opposite hook needle, as bestshown in Figures 8 and 9 of the drawings. Due to the mounting of thethread carrying needle 50 in obliquely angled relation from the plane ofoperation of the needle 42, there is no liability of interferencebetween the two needles as the points thereof move downwardly inintersecting relation between the spaced hook needles.

As shown in Figure 9 of the drawings, in the upward stroke of theneedles, the threads carried by the respective needles 42 and 50 will becaught by the hooks of the diagonally opposite needles and-drawnupwardly through previously formed thread loops on the upper side of thefabric, thus forming the diagonally crossed thread stitches on theunderside of the fabric, which is the right side thereof, as shown atI20 in Figure 11 of the drawings. wrong side of the fabric, the usualchain of interlocking thread loops I22 will be formed.

The machine may be operated with the use of only a single hook needleand cooperating thread carrying needle, in which event, a row ofequidistantly spaced, diagonally parallel thread stitches l24' will beformed on the right side of the fabric, as shown in Figure 10. When theornamental tape or braid [26 of Figure 12 is fed to the underside of thefabric through the opening I06 in the throat plate, this tape at spacedintervals will be securely bound or held on the surface of the fabric bythe diagonally crossed stitches I28, which may be of contrasting colorto the tape and the fabric, to provide an ornamental and attractiveembroidery design thereon. Of course it will be understood that byproviding interchangeable presser feet and throat plates for the machineand multiplying the number of thread carrying and hook needles, multiplerows of embroidery stitching may be produced in one operation of themachine.

From the above it will be seen that I have devised a very novel mountingand arrangement of the thread carrying needles with respect to thecooperating hook needles, together with simple and reliably functioningmeans for the high speed operation of the two sets of needles inproperly timed relation to each other, whereby the row of ornamentalstitches is accurately applied to the fabric. While the eccentricactuated means geared to the main shaft of the machine for reciprocatingthe thread carrying needles has been found highly efficient, otherequivalent mechanisms may be employed in connection with thefundamentally novel features of the invention for transmittingsimultaneous reciprocating motion to said needles. However, thedisclosed construction comprises a minimum number of elements of simpleand rugged structural form, which may be quickly and accuratelyassembled in proper cooperative relation to each other. It will beapparent of course, that this actuating mechanism for the threadcarrying needles, may, if desired, be enclosed within a suitableprotective housing attached to the rear side wall of the On the upper orv sewing machine arm. It will be. also be evident that the comparativesimplicity ofmy present improvements is conducive to low productioncosts and minimum maintenance expense.

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departingfrom the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The presentembodiment is therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrativeand not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by theappended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and allchanges which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of theclaims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by United States LettersPatent is:

1. In multiple needle stitching mechanism, a horizontal support overwhich the work is intermittently rearwardly fed, a verticallyreciprocating hook needle movable through said support, a threadcarrying needle rearwardly of the hook needle and movable through saidwork support, said thread carrying needle being mounted forreciprocation in a linear path in a downwardly converging relation tothe hook needle and in a vertical plane oblique to a vertical planeparallel to the line of feed and intersecting same substantially in theaxis of the hook needle, and actuating means for reciprocating saidneedles in timed relation, with said thread carryingneedle moving belowthe work support in a path intersecting said path of reciprocation ofthehook needle and in closely cooperating relation with said hook needle toform a thread stitch on one side of the work disposed diagonally of theline of feed thereof.

2. Multiple needle stitching mechanism as defined in claim 1, whereinsaid actuating means includes a main shaft, an eccentric geared to saidmain shaft, and means operatively connecting said eccentric with thethread carrying needle.

3. Multiple needle stitching mechanism as defined in claim 2, whereinsaid connecting means comprises a reciprocating member and linkageconnecting said member with the obliquely inclined thread carryingneedle.

4. Multiple needle stitching mechanism as defined in claim 1, whereinsaid actuating means comprises a main shaft, a tubular thread guide forthe thread carrying needle mounted for vertical reciprocation, meansoperatively connecting said main shaft with said guide, and a motiontransmitting connection between said thread guide and the obliquelyinclined thread carrying needle.

5. In multiple needle stitching mechanism, a horizontal support overwhich the work is intermittently rearwardly fed, a pair of laterallyspaced apart hook needles vertically reciprocating through said support,a pair of thread carrying needles in rearwardly spaced relation from thehook needles at opposite sides of the line of feed in laterally inclineddownward convergent relation to each other, each of said thread carryingneedles being mounted for reciprocation through said work support in alinear path in downwardly converging relation to its diagonally opposedhook needle and in a vertical plane oblique to a vertical plane parallelto the line of feed and intersecting same substantially in the axis ofits closely cooperating diagonally opposed hook needle below said worksupport to form thread stitches on one side of the work in diagonallycrossed relation to the feed path of the work, and means for actuatingsaid thread carrying needles in timed relation with the recip mention ofsaid hook needles.

' 6. Multiple needle stitching mechanism as do fined in claim 5, whereinsaid thread carryin needles are disposed at relatively different,downwardly convergent angles to the hook needles for movement relativeto the latter in non-inter.- fering, intersecting paths.

7. Multiple needle stitching mechanism as defined in claim 6, in whichsaid actuating means comprises a power driven member operatively mountedbetween said thread carrying needles, and means for transmittingsimultaneous and equal reciprocating motion for said member to thethread carrying needles in the same direction.

8. Multiple needle stitching mechanism as defined in claim 6, in whichsaid actuating means comprises a power driven, reciprccable membermounted between and .operatively connected with said obliquely inclinedthread carrying needles to simultaneously and equally reciprocate saidneedles in the same direction.

' .9. Multiple needle stitching mechanism as dee fined in claim .6, inwhich said actuating means comprises a main operating shaft for saidhook needles, a member mounted for reciprocation between said obliquelyinclined thread carrying needles, motion transmitting linkage betweensaid member and each of said needles, and means operatiyely connectingsaid member with said main shaft.

10. Multiple needle stitching mechanism as defined in claim 5, whereinsaid actuating means includes a power driven eccentric, a member mountedfor reciprocation between the thread carrying needles operativelyconnected with said eccentric, and means for transmittine,- simultaneousand equal reciprocator-y motion from said member to the thread carryingneedles in the same direction.

11. Multiple needle stitching mechanism as defined in claim 5, whereinsaid actuating means comprises a main actuating s a t for th o needles,a member driven from said main shaft movably mounted between the threadcarrying needles, and linkage pivotally connecting said member with eachof said needles to simultaneously and equally reciprocate said needlesin the same direction.

12. Multiple needle stitching mechanism as defined in claim 5, whereinsaid actuating means comprises a main operating shaft for the hookneedles, an eccentric mounted between said thread carrying needles andoperatively driven from said main shaft, and means actuated by saideccentric connected with said thread carrying needles to simultaneouslyand equally reciprocate said needles in the same'direction.

13; Multiple needle stitching mechanism as defined in claim 12, in whichsaid eccentric actuated means comprises a vertically reciprocatingmemher and motion transmitting means between said member and said threadcarrying needles.

14. Multiple needle stitching mechanism as defined in claim 12, in whichsaid eccentric actuated means includes a tubular thread guidin memberfor said thread carrying needles.

15. Multiple needle stitching mechanism as defined in claim 10, whereinthe connecting means between said member and the eccentric includesmeans for counter-balancing vibration.

VICTOR J, ,SIGODA.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 1,266,838 McNeil i May 21, 1918 1,714,923 Sigoda May 28, 19292,118,077 Fink Ma 24, 1933 2,242,528 Kozibroda May 20, 1941 2,369,183Sigoda ,Feb. 13, 1945 2,359,470 Langa Feb. 1?, 1.945

